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The project of the sixth Book, intituled
PHILOPONAUXESIS.
Sir Thomas Urquhart (1653) Logopandecteision. Book VI: Philoponauxesis: The Project, pp. 27-28.
THE Author in the first five Books having very posedly digested the causes promptive to the removal of all obstacles impediting the exposal of his brain-endeavours, doth in this sixth and last of his Introduction, prove that the conceßion of these his just demands, will prove conducible to all industrious negotiations and employments whatsoever. And whereas by the Usurer the contrary was upbraided, he retorts back the dart of that obloquie on whence it came, and sheweth what innumerable prejudices have redounded to Merchandizing, Scholarship, Husbandry, Mechanism, Nobility, Gentry, Disport, Exercise, and, in sum, to all the persons, professions, and diversions of honest men, of what degree or quality soever, by the Gangrene wherewith Usury and Avarice hath seized upon the Land, since the domination of Hypocrisie over its inhabitants. He declareth likewise much of these calamities in behalf of all those fore-named Vocations, Arts, Disciplines, Recreations, and those that plied all or either of them, to have occurred by reason of his own particular pressures under the Foenoratory yoak. And therefore, to extricate him out of those impesterments, and dis-intangle his estate from the intricacies wherein the Flagitator keepeth it involved, he sues the Supreme Authority, and begs the favour of a Judge whose qualifications he delineates. He solveth all the Scruples that oppose his suit, and evidently demonstrateth the grant thereof to endanger the preparative of no incidence for the like in any time to come. Finally, he knowing that any man in a chamber, desirous to enjoy the light of the sun, would be offended at him, who, by holding the windows shut, should detain him in darkness ; as also be displeased with such a one as would keep fast the door against that person did intend to present him with a rich Diamant ; Seeing the expansion of a door and window-leaf is able to admit the brightness of the one, and wealth of the other : He expects that the State, considering how easily he may be disburdened of that aforesaid letts, and how upon their removal dependeth an illumination and enrichment of the Minde in the knowledge of divers exquisite things, will not wittingly lose a master of so great concernment, for the non-performance of so mean a task : for when Utility may be obtained with ease, and the steps to Profit trod upon with facility, it needeth not to be imagined, where Wisdom superiorizeth most, that such conveniences will be set at nought, and omitted. In hopes therefore of a gracious retribution, and with a strenuous assurance of a plenary discharge of his promise, The Author very daintily closing this sixth Book, puts a Catastrophe to the whole Introduction ; the publishing of the Book it relates to, depending totally upon the removal of the often-aforementioned impediments, then which the Author asks no more for helps : for, Qui impedimenta tollit, præstat adminicula.
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